Combat Tag Archery

Combat tag archery - also called battle archery, tag archery or archery tag - is a team game played with real recurve bows, foam-tipped arrows and inflatable bunkers. Two teams, usually five a side, face off across a field or hall with bunkers scattered between them for cover. The aim is to hit opposing players or knock out the centre of a five-spot target. If you're hit, you're out, though rules vary and our operator runs through them before each session starts.

We set up the full arena - the bows, the arrows, the face masks, the inflatable bunkers in various shapes and sizes, and the targets. The bunkers are PVC tarpaulin inflatables, the same sort of material used for paintball arenas, and they stand up to being hit by foam arrows all day. The arrows have large soft foam heads that screw onto the shaft and a bright orange tip so you can find them in the grass. The bows are recurve-style with a light draw weight - enough to send the arrow across the arena but manageable for most ages from about eight up.

One of our own staff runs every session. Tag archery is on our always-staffed list, which means you don't have the option to self-supervise - a trained operator attends as standard. They brief the players, referee the games, collect arrows between rounds and adjust the difficulty to suit the group. Everyone on our team has passed the RPII operator and supervisor exams, is first-aid trained and is enhanced-DBS registered, which matters if you're booking for a school, a youth group or a corporate event where you need named, qualified people on site.

It works indoors in a sports hall or outdoors on grass. If you're outdoors we bring the anemometer and run the same wind-safety protocol we use on every inflatable - 24mph cutoff, mandatory evacuation at Force 5, recordings every 30 minutes. The electrics are PAT-tested annually and every piece of kit is ours, so the person who delivers it is a Monster employee, not a sub-contractor we've passed the job to.

We've run Monster Event Hire from our unit in Havant since 2002, covering Hampshire, Surrey, West Sussex, and into London and Berkshire. The policy carries £10 million public liability with additional licensed-premises cover for pubs, clubs and bars, and the certificate is available on request.

It tends to work well at corporate fun days, school events, birthday parties, university freshers' fairs and village fêtes. The queue is often as entertaining as the game itself - people hiding behind bunkers, arrows flying over the top, someone getting caught out trying to retrieve spent arrows from no man's land.

If you'd rather traditional target archery, have a look at our archery hire page. For something similar in a competitive format, the laser clay pigeon shooting and laser shot pages are worth a look. Or browse the full shooting games range.

Frequently asked questions

• Does it hurt when the arrow hits you? The foam heads are large and soft - about the size of a tennis ball - so you feel a tap but it doesn't bruise. That's why the game works for kids and cautious adults alike. The face masks are there to protect eyes and teeth from an arrow coming in at an odd angle, not because the arrows themselves are dangerous.

• How much space do we need? A standard sports hall or a reasonably flat grass field is fine. The bunkers spread out to form the arena and we can adjust the layout to fit the space. If you're indoors, a badminton court-sized hall is about right. If you're outdoors, let us know if the field is on a slope or has obstacles and we'll work round them.

• What age is it suitable for? The bows have a light draw weight but you still need to be able to hold and draw them properly. We've had eight-year-olds manage it fine and adults who struggle, so it depends on the individual more than a hard age limit. Our operator will show everyone how to hold the bow and nock the arrow before any game starts.

• What happens if it rains? The bunkers are PVC tarpaulin and the bows are fine in light rain. Heavy rain makes the grass slippery and the foam arrow heads get waterlogged and heavy, which affects how they fly. If the forecast is poor we'll call to discuss options - moving indoors, adding a marquee, or rescheduling if there's flexibility.

If you want to check availability or get a quote for your event, use the enquiry form or call us on 01428 751925. We reply the same day and can send across the insurance certificate, risk assessment and method statement if your venue or your office needs them.